Small Mercies
by Lorr
Summary: People are being lured from their planets and not being heard from again. Sheppard's team tries to find out what is happening to them.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Small Mercies

**Author:** Lorr

**Genre/Rating:** Drama

**Characters:** Weir, Sheppard, McKay, Teyla, Ronon, Kate Heightmeyer

**Disclaimer:** Stargate Atlantis and all therein belong to people not me. I just came to play.

**Spoilers:** Two small references to Trinity, but otherwise, I don't think there are any spoilers. I apologize if there is. This takes place any time after that episode.

**Background:** A trip to a slightly darker side. I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are most welcome so that I know I am doing justice to the wee universe that is Atlantis.

John Sheppard, Rodney McKay and Ronon Dex waited patiently across the square from the well in the center of the village. Teyla Emmagan was at the well, helping an elderly woman draw water to fill a clay jar. They talked quietly as they worked. All of the villagers they saw were dressed in roughly woven garments. All exuded the air of the stunted crops growing in their parched fields. A drought had burned this part of the planet for several years and there had been too many days of physical toil with little reward. It had been a very long time since this place had seen better days.

Teyla bent low and spoke quietly to the woman, who replied then walked away with her jar of water, leaving Teyla to return to her companions. Without a word, the team left the village and headed for the Gate. Once out of earshot of any of the inhabitants of M4R-273, Teyla began to tell the others what she learned.

"Yes, it has happened here as well." She answered Sheppard's unspoken question. "Three men came through the Gate several weeks ago. The descriptions of two of them were the same as before. They promised farm work elsewhere, claiming that anyone who followed them would earn enough to take care of their families until the drought ended. About thirty able-bodied men and women left and have not been heard from since."

"Variations on a theme." Sheppard commented as they neared the Gate. "That makes over a hundred and fifty people we know about so far."

"Yes, yes, but what for, slavery? They may have just gone to another planet to work and are too busy to come back right now." McKay frowned, looking at Teyla and Ronon. "Have you ever heard of people being taken from other planets and used as slaves?"

"Yes, but it is the first time I have heard of this kind of enticement." Teyla answered.

"Usually, they just go in and round up everyone they can and haul them off. They don't give anyone the choice." Ronon glanced back at the village as he spoke.

"Any idea where they went?" Sheppard asked Teyla.

"No, the destination was not mentioned and no-one saw the dialing sequence." Teyla shook her head. "The loss of these people will probably mean the end of everyone here. They do not have enough manpower to work the fields now."

As McKay dialed the Gate, Sheppard turned and looked back, deep in thought.

----------

"Do you really think it is a slave trading ring?" Elizabeth Weir could not hide her revulsion. She looked around the conference table.

"The lure isn't the same as the others, but so far, the pitch has been for farm work, construction and clearing land. It looks like they're changing the story according to the targeted community." The Colonel shrugged. "Don't know, but I doubt that these people are from an intergalactic temp agency."

"The descriptions of two of the men are too similar to be a coincidence." McKay conceded. "Maybe they've just decided it's easier to get the strongest people this way. No fuss, no muss."

After throwing McKay a sideways frown, Elizabeth asked a question to which she already knew the answer. "There's nothing we can do, is there?"

"No-one has seen the Gate address dialed by these men." Teyla answered.

"There's nothing to do unless, and until, it happens again and we get an address." Sheppard shook his head to reinforce the answer.

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "But, could this be a coincidence? Could it be that the missing people are working somewhere and just haven't gone home yet?"

"It is possible, but very unlikely." Teyla answered first. "The villages these people come from are close knit communities. Family ties are very strong."

Ronon agreed. "Yeah. Maybe some of them wouldn't go back, but not all of them. Most of left families behind."

"This whole thing smells bad." Sheppard absent-mindedly rubbed his jaw with the back of the fingers of his right hand. "Three planets in two months. That we know about."

"Well, like you said, we can't do anything without more information right now." Elizabeth closed the cover on her PDA. "John, have all teams going off-world keep their eyes and ears open."

Sheppard nodded. "Already done."

Teyla, Ronon and McKay left the room, but Sheppard didn't move. He seemed lost in thought.

Elizabeth looked at him, puzzled. "John, what is it?"

He frowned. "It could be Wraith worshippers, rounding up humans for their masters."

"Humans rounding up humans for the Wraith?" She was shocked. "Do you think that's possible?"

He looked at her and shrugged. "Very little surprises me any more. The worshipers I saw on the Hive ship seemed to be both terrified and slavishly devoted to the Wraith. It's possible."

"God, I hope not." She shuddered at the thought.

-----------

Three weeks later, Sheppard was walking quickly up the corridor from his quarters towards the mess. His team returned from a mission only a couple of hours earlier. They were checked over in the infirmary and debriefed. It had been a long day and he was looking forward to getting dinner.

"Sir? Do you have a minute?" Lt. Simmons trotted to catch up to his commanding officer.

Sheppard slowed his pace and glanced back as Simmons caught up. "What's up, Lieutenant?"

"I think we have one, Sir." He drew next to the Colonel. "A Gate address for the missing people, that is, Sir."

Sheppard stopped, all of his attention now on the young man. "Give me the highlights."

"Yes, Sir. We were on P4M-597. Day before yesterday, four men came there and talked about forty men and women into going through the Gate with them. Promised them work that would pay well. The description of one of them matched one from M4R-273."

"Tell me you got the Gate address." Sheppard held his breath.

Simmons nodded, smiling. "Yes, Sir. One of the village elders didn't like the sound of it, so he had his grandson scurry up a tree and watch the dialing sequence."

Dinner almost forgotten, Sheppard grinned and clapped the young man on the shoulder. "Good man."

----------

Sheppard, Teyla and McKay sat around Elizabeth's office. Ronon leaned against the door.

"We've gone back to the other three planets in the last couple of days, and there's still no sign of the missing people." Sheppard watched Elizabeth expectantly. "I'd be surprised if this is where those folks are parked, but you never know. We should at least see if there is any indication of where they've gone."

"This may be perfectly innocent, you know." McKay chimed in. "Maybe they are just working somewhere."

Sheppard nodded an acknowledgement. "Yes, maybe they have. But I'd like to know one way or the other."

Elizabeth looked around the room. "So would I. You have a go."

Teyla and Sheppard stood and left the office with Ronon. McKay grimaced in anticipation of what might be in their immediate future as he followed them out.

----------

An hour later, fourteen men and women waited at the foot of the stairs in the Gate Room. Lorne, Garcia and their teams were joining Sheppard's on the mission. A couple of extra Marines were along for the ride.

McKay nervously eyed the extra weapon carried by Sheppard for this mission. The M40A3 slung over the Colonel's shoulder was the latest Marine sniper rifle. It held a maximum of five rounds, but was deadly accurate up to a thousand yards. A couple of his vest pockets were packed even more rounds.

The ammunition was not quite the AA11 normally used with this weapon. Sheppard and Ronon had worked for weeks with the ordnance specialists on Atlantis to make them lethal enough to bring down a Wraith with one shot. The trade off was the range with the greatest degree of accuracy was reduced by fifteen to twenty percent. It was well worth it.

"I don't like the idea of going there without a Jumper." McKay hung back a little.

"You don't have to come, Rodney." Sheppard adjusted the rifle. It was heavy and a little awkward with the attached bipod, but he didn't mind the effort if it was needed.

"No, no. I'm coming." McKay glanced at the distinctly odd looking weapon again as he feigned courage. "I'm just saying that we should take a Jumper. We're going to be completely unprotected out there."

"Yeah, completely. Look, there's not much room to maneuver a Jumper near the Gate." Sheppard looked around at the firepower assembled in the Gate Room as he spoke. He raised his voice. "Let's go."

The teams walked through, weapons and life-sign detectors at the ready.

----------

It was late on a cold, gray afternoon on M5R-192. The clearing around the Gate was no more than twice the size of the Gate Room in Atlantis. It was surrounded by a thick forest. An obvious trail disappeared to the right through the trees at about a sixty degree angle from the plane of the Gate. A less obvious one headed off to the left of it.

As the wormhole shut down, Sheppard motioned to Lt. Garcia to stay at the Gate. He and his team of two men and one woman were all still fairly new to Atlantis, but had shown themselves highly capable on several missions.

He approached the young man and spoke softly. "Keep out of site if you can. If this is the place, we don't know when these guys are going to bring more people through the Gate. I don't want to spook them until we know what's going on."

"Yes, Sir!" The young man whispered back.

Sheppard and Lorne's teams fanned out and entered the trees either side of the trails. Lorne took the wider trail on the right. Each of them had one of the extra Marines. They slowly worked their way through the trees, keeping an eye on the life-signs detectors. Dead foliage underfoot crunched softly with each step and little puffs of steam rose with each breath.

"Tell me again why we couldn't bring the Jumper?" McKay complained soon after entering the trees. He was shivering. "We'd be able to search a lot faster and we'd be cloaked, so no-one would see us. And, we'd be warm."

The Colonel scowled at him. "A lot of these trees are well over a hundred feet tall and the canopy's too dense. We don't know if we could land where we need to. Go back and wait with Garcia if you want to. Otherwise, keep it quiet."

"I was just saying…" McKay fell quiet, but continued with the team.

The paths, and routes the two teams took, veered away from each other. A couple of hundred yards in, Lorne's team came across multiple life-signs on their handheld detector. He halted his men and tapped his earpiece.

"Col. Sheppard?" The Major whispered.

"Go."

"We have life-signs ahead, Sir. Close to a hundred, from all the blips." Lorne frowned at the multitude of dots on the screen.

"Okay, see if you can get closer and find out what's going on."

"Copy, Sir."

----------

Ronon immediately took point when they left the Gate clearing. He stayed well in front of the team, silently ranging from side to side in a wide arc. Several minutes after Lorne's communication, he dropped back to find Sheppard. The waning light caused the shadows in the forest to deepen. Only movement allowed them to distinguish tree from human.

"The forest ends up ahead." Ronon almost whispered. He pointed straight ahead then swept his hand to the left. "Doesn't look like anyone's around, but something's wrong."

Sheppard glanced at the life-sights detector. "Wraith?"

"They're not there now, but they've been here."

"Great." Sheppard tapped his earpiece. "Lorne?"

"Sir?" The response was barely audible.

"Anything?"

"It looks like there're about a hundred and twenty people, Sir. They're just camped out. I can't tell if any of our targets are among them."

"What're they doing?"

"Nothing, Sir. Looks like they're just waiting."

"Well, be careful and stay out of site, the Wraith could be involved."

"We haven't seen any, Sir." Lorne's voice conveyed nothing.

"Neither have we, but, it's possible, probable." He thought for a moment. "We're going to check out the edge of the forest about a thousand yards from the Gate then work our way around to you. We'll be there in about fifteen."

They crept closer to the clearing and stopped inside the tree-line to cautiously survey the area. It was empty, but even in the poor light, they could see that ships had been landing there. Shrubs and young trees had been crushed and the ground was scorched in places.

Something made Sheppard turn back toward the Gate. He peered into the now dark forest then up to the sky, but could see nothing. When he looked at his team again, they were still watching the open ground. He hoped he wasn't just getting jumpy over nothing, but was more worried about the alternative. After a couple of minutes, he motioned for the others to move out to join up with Lorne's team. They hadn't gone more than fifty yards when their transceivers crackled softly.

"Col. Sheppard?" Garcia's voice was barely audible.

"Go."

"Sir, a bunch of people just came through the Gate. About thirty men and women, and they're headed in Maj. Lorne's direction."

"Were they armed?"

"Don't know, Sir. There were a couple of guys leading them, but we didn't see any weapons." Garcia paused for a second then added. "No sign of any Wraith, either."

"Okay. Sit tight."

Sheppard motioned to Ronon to take point again. He had absolute faith in Ronon's ability to track and avoid danger if necessary. The man had an uncanny awareness, could find his way and sniff out the Wraith in just about any conditions. They moved out quietly.

Even McKay seemed to understand that silence was essential. Either that or he was just too cold and nervous to say anything. He kept close behind the Colonel, his eyes nervously darting back and forth. He strained to see in the darkening evening. At one point, he bumped into Sheppard when the latter slowed to check on Teyla, who was on their six.

"Colonel?" Lorne's voice sounded in their ears.

"Major?"

"Looks like the bunch that came through the Gate are entering the encampment."

"What are they doing?"

"Stand by." There was a long silence before Lorne spoke again. "Seems like they're settling down for the night."

"What about the escorts?" Sheppard asked softly.

"They're off to one side talking to a couple of men. Everything's quiet. I think we've identified the ringleaders."

"Good, we're almost there." Sheppard and his team froze when they heard a vaguely familiar whine coming in low. It was coming in at such an angle and direction as to be difficult for anyone in the encampment to detect it.

"Oh, God." McKay whispered next to him.

"Sir?" Lorne was concerned.

"Crap. It's a Wraith ship of some kind." Sheppard whispered into his comm. He motioned to Ronon who nodded and loped off back in the direction they had come then began to move quickly, nudging McKay toward Lorne's position. "Get close to the encampment, but stay out of sight. If the Wraith sensors pick you up, they'll think you're part of the crowd. We'll be there in a minute."

McKay whispered urgently. "We need to get out of here. Now"!

"Come on!" Sheppard hissed back as Teyla grabbed McKay's arm to hurry him along. Sgt. Yoshiro brought up their six.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't difficult to find Lorne and his men even though it was dark. The life-signs detector identified the five of them deployed off to one side. They were just separate enough to tell who they were. The Major dropped back to meet them. His men remained where they were, using the trees as shields against being seen by the people in the encampment.

Teyla and McKay hid behind trees within a few feet of Sheppard. She kept her hand on the astrophysicist's arm to keep him still. He was too anxious to resist her.

"Is it really a Wraith ship, Sir?" Lorne looked up, expecting the beam that would sweep them into captivity. "We barely heard it."

"It's landed in the clearing, but it is Wraith. Ronon's gone to check it out." Sheppard pulled out a pair of night vision goggles and studied the people they had tracked to this planet. "Do you know which ones are the ringleaders?"

"I think so, Sir. Looks like there's eight of them altogether. Those three standing at eleven o'clock, two more at four, one at seven and one each at…"

Before the Major could continue, two men singled out a young couple sitting at the edge of the camp near one of the many small fires in the camp. They were a man and woman that appeared to be no more than twenty years old. The conversation was brief but seemed amicable. The couple stood up and followed the men. They followed a trail that would take them to the newly arrived ship.

Ronon appeared next to Sheppard moments later. "It's definitely Wraith, but not like anything I've seen before. It's smaller that a cruiser."

"Probably a transport. This'd be a very easy way to fill the larder." Sheppard stared at the people in the encampment. "Garcia, listen up."

"All ears, Colonel." They all heard the Lieutenant's voice over their earpieces.

Sheppard turned to Lorne. "Okay. Major, I want you and your team to take out the ringleaders. Ronon, give them a hand. Then, get these people to the Gate as quickly and quietly as you can."

"Yes, Sir." Lorne tapped his comm. "Okay, guys, you heard the Colonel"

Ronon nodded and followed the Major. The figures of Lorne's team crept through the trees and quickly disappeared as they made for their targets.

Sheppard shrugged the M40A3 off his shoulder and walked over to Teyla and McKay. "I want you two to help herd these people back to the Gate. I'll make sure you're not followed on foot."

"Should we take them back to the City?" Teyla asked as both she and McKay glanced from the rifle to the encampment to Sheppard. There was just enough light to see the determination on his face.

"No, go to…" He thought for a moment. "Go to P3X-216. We can send them home from there."

Teyla immediately began to follow Lorne and Ronon. McKay hesitated, watching the Colonel perform his own silent disappearing trick in the shadows of the forest. Teyla turned back and grabbed his arm.

"Come, Rodney, we have little time." She whispered in his ear. "We need to convince these people that they are in grave danger and must leave with us. We need to hurry."

Within two minutes, the men guarding the camp silently disappeared without causing any concern to the tired souls huddled over the low fires. They were farmers and knew nothing of the fate that had been planned for them. Ronon, the Major and his team worked efficiently.

Teyla walked into the middle of a small group of fires. She spoke softly, but with urgency.

"We must leave this place now. Please get up and come with us to the Ring of the Ancestors."

"Why?" A young man looked up at her. "We have been promised work."

McKay stepped into the group. He tried to sound calm, but could not quite manage it. "The Wraith have landed…"

"Wraith?" Several people stood up, disbelief and panic in their voices.

"Please remain quiet." Teyla glared at McKay then looked around the group. "We believe the Wraith have landed some distance away. We are here to help you. If we move quickly and quietly, we will be able to escape them. Please, hurry."

She gently tugged on two of those who were standing, trying to coax them into movement. "We must hurry."

"Look, the men who brought you here were going to sell you to the Wraith. Didn't you hear the ship land a few minutes ago? You have to leave now." McKay pulled on a young woman's arm to get her to stand up. His naked fear broke through to several people, who started to move toward the trail back to the Gate.

A handful from other groups approached with one of Lorne's men in the lead. Looking around Teyla saw the urging from the team was working. More and more people were standing and moving to the trail. Low murmuring and shuffling feet were the only sounds. The need for quiet had been impressed well enough, it seemed. Only the occasional shushing was necessary, and, once they were moving, no-one argued or hesitated.

One of Lorne's team took point to lead everyone back to the Gate. The rest of the team spaced themselves at intervals along the column, with Lorne near the rear with Yoshiro. He was grateful that the refugees were all young and relatively strong. They could move fast. He checked his watch. It had been less than six minutes since Col. Sheppard left.

Ronon appeared next to Lorne. "Can you get them all back to the Gate?"

"Yeah. Where are you going?" Lorne whispered, knowing perfectly well what the answer would be and wanting to do it himself. "Go on. We'll get them through and hold the Gate for you."

Teyla spoke softly as she drew near. "Do not wait too long. If there is a problem, go through and shut it down."

She and Ronon turned to follow Sheppard. When McKay rushed to go with them, Teyla paused to talk to him.

"Rodney, you should go with Maj. Lorne."

He shook his head and started to move past Lorne. "I'm coming. No offense, Major."

"None taken." Lorne turned his attention to the refugees. He activated his comm and spoke quietly to the man on point. "Pick up the pace, Johnson. We don't have a lot of time."

He glanced in the direction Sheppard's team disappeared and swore under his breath before continuing to the Gate with his charges. He would see these people through and then do as he said for as long as he could. And, maybe a little longer.

---------

Sheppard found the best vantage point he could with the best line of fire. He was on one side of the narrow trail leading from the Gate. A slight bend in the path gave him the cover of trees on either side. The ship was a couple of hundred yards from him, and a curve in the edge of the forest partially obscured the entrance to the ship. The path from the camp must empty out near the ship.

He considered moving around to look for a better line of sight, but didn't. He needed to be between the ship and the Gate.

He made it there before the men with the young couple. There was just enough light coming from the ship for him to differentiate who was who. And, with the scope on the M40A3, Sheppard could target what he needed to, even with the trees. He lay on his stomach and settled the rifle on its bipod in front of him. His P-90 was on the ground near his right hand.

"Colonel?"

"Teyla?"

"They will all be at the Gate in less than five minutes."

"Let me know when you're ready to dial out. It's bound to attract attention."

"We will." She lied, hoping Lorne heard the exchange.

As he waited, he saw more than a dozen Wraith guards leave the ship and head for the camp.

"Listen up. About a dozen Wraith are headed toward the encampment. Get a move on."

"Yes, Sir." Lorne replied. Sheppard heard him urging speed.

Ronon found the Colonel with his usual unerring accuracy. He silently knelt next to the prone man. Two minutes later, Teyla and an out of breath McKay approached. Sheppard was mildly surprised by the minimal amount of noise made by the astrophysicist. They squatted on the other side of the Colonel.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sheppard hissed at them even though he did not take his eyes off the Wraith that had come into view at the ship. "Rodney, you should know better. Get back to the Gate."

McKay just kept trying to catch his breath as he made himself as small as possible behind a tree. It suddenly struck him just how stupid he had been in coming here. He glanced around at the forest and crouched lower.

"No, I'm not going by myself. I could get lost."

"Teyla, take him back."

"Maj. Lorne and his team will have them all at the Gate in two or three minutes. You may need help here." She replied without moving.

Ronon shifted to a better position. "We need to give Lorne enough time to get those people off this world."

Sheppard continued to watch the ship. He spoke through clinched teeth. "Okay, okay. Rodney, keep your head down and be ready to run if I say to."

McKay nodded furiously as he whispered. "Yes, yes."

At that moment, the two men broke through the trees with the young couple. They were just a handful of yards from the ship. The woman tried to scream, but was restrained by the man holding her. Her companion was being held by the other, a large knife to his throat. Two Wraith guards moved in to help them.

Sheppard didn't take his eye from the scope. He was waiting for the call from Lorne. The longer the Wraith were unaware of what was happening to their dinner, the more time Lorne had to get them to the Gate.

One of the commanders appeared in the doorway. He took his time inspecting the samples brought to him. The woman stopped screaming but continued to squirm, as did her companion.

"Colonel?" Lorne's voice whispered in their ears.

"Yeah?"

"The head of the line is at the Gate clearing."

"Dial it. Garcia, take your team through first. Major, you're on their six. Go. Don't wait for us." Sheppard replied. He heard the dialing sequence and the wormhole open through his comm.

---------

McKay squinted through the binoculars. The dim twilight and trees made it difficult to see, so he shifted slightly for a better view. The Wraith commander spun around and looked at the path. He bellowed and turned back to the humans.

A small movement and strangled shriek told the story. McKay could only see the Wraith's arms and hands from this angle, but he had begun to feed. The young man was pinned against a tree trunk. He tore at his attacker's arm, but to no avail.

The two men held the woman as they watched the Wraith feed. She screamed and tried to break free, but was held too tightly. Several Wraith guards ran back into the clearing. McKay watched in horrified fascination, unable to look away. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, with each brief second taking minutes.

"Damn." Sheppard muttered.

Even though the rifle shot was only a few feet away, it sounded muffled and distant to McKay. He glanced at Sheppard then looked back at the Wraith and his victim. The top part of the boy's head was gone. Released by the Wraith, his body fell to the ground. Three Wraith guards were searching for the source of the shot.

Sheppard aimed again. Two more shots from it dropped two of them. McKay knew it was unlikely they would be getting up again. This rifle and ammunition, and the man using them, were lethal.

McKay saw the Wraith commander move into view, grabbing the young woman from the nervous men. He held her in front of him like a shield. He placed his feeding hand over her chest from behind and held her head up with the other, displaying his new victim as he began to drain her life. McKay quickly glanced at the Colonel again, astonished to find the latter calmly taking aim. The slow squeeze of the trigger wasn't enough warning for the sound of the shot. The noise added to the ringing in McKay's ears. The muzzle flash made him blink.

He looked through the binoculars again. The Wraith reeled backward, letting the dead woman fall. She had a massive hole where her chest had been, and he was clutching his own chest. A second shot hit him in the face, killing him instantly. Several guards began to run towards them with their stun weapons ready to fire. Sheppard quickly reloaded and dropped the first one with a shot to the head then glanced at Teyla and McKay.

"Get back to the Gate and make sure they're all through. I'll be right behind you." He quickly nestled his cheek onto the rifle stock again, taking aim. When no-one moved, he whispered with harsh urgency in his voice. "Go!"

Teyla pulled at McKay's sleeve as she and Ronon inched backwards. The astrophysicist was in shock, unable to absorb what he witnessed in the last minute. His ears were ringing and he could feel his heart thudding in his chest. He felt like he was made of lead as he moved. The rifle fired again as he and Teyla left Ronon waiting a few yards behind Sheppard. The cold was forgotten as he started to run, the explosions and flashes of the gun spurring him on.

----------

The address Lt. Garcia dialed was to one of the uninhabited planets once considered for the Alpha site. It had been ruled out after it was found to have insufficient water near enough to the Gate to be of use. It wasn't even on the back-up list, but was handy as a stop-off point that would not give Atlantis, the Alpha site or any of the alternatives away. From there, they could route the refugees back to their own planets.

Teyla and McKay arrived at the Gate as the last of the refugees were going through. In the half mile or so they ran they heard ten more shots. Each crack made him move with greater alacrity. He always wanted to be as far as possible from the Wraith, but it was Sheppard who scared him more right now.

McKay turned to watch they way they had come, his breaths coming in ragged gulps. He doubled over then dropped to his knees. "Sheppard shot them! Did you see? He killed people…humans!"

Teyla bent over next to him. "Rodney!"

McKay's voice rose in pitch and volume with each word. "Did you see? He shot them!"

"Yes, Rodney, I saw." Teyla rested her hand on his shoulder. "Breath deep and stay calm. We can speak of this later."

Lorne approached as the last of the refugees disappeared through the Gate with Garcia's team. He scanned the trees and motioned to his team to watch closely. "What's going on? Where are Col. Sheppard and Ronon?"

"They were making sure the Wraith did not follow until all of the refugees were safe. They will be here soon." Teyla straightened to watch the trees as well. She did not want to elaborate on the events of the last few minutes.

As if on cue, Ronon emerged from the trees with Sheppard close behind. The Colonel's rifle was now slung over his shoulder and his P-90 was in his hands. He signaled everyone to get through the Gate. Teyla and Lorne hauled McKay up and half carried him. They all heard the whine of the Wraith ship rising in the distance and started to run. A single blast of weapons fire from the ship struck the edge of the forest behind them as Sheppard and Ronon plunged through the event horizon.


	3. Chapter 3

Sheppard was the first in the conference room for the after mission debrief. He sat at the end opposite the doors. His left elbow was propped on the chair arm, curled fingers resting lightly on his mouth. He was introspective and remained motionless as the others entered and settled into their chairs. Lorne arrived just behind Teyla and Ronon. The latter two sat where they could watch Sheppard, glancing at each other in concern when he barely acknowledged their entrance.

Elizabeth walked in and sat down, unaware of the events of the final minutes of the mission. McKay's arrival forestalled any questions she might have had regarding the tension in the room. The astrophysicist stopped just inside the door, staring at the Colonel. He pointedly took a chair as far from Sheppard as he could, barely taking his eyes from him.

Elizabeth looked around. Lorne appeared to be almost as much in the dark as herself. Sheppard still stared into nothingness. Teyla and Ronon studiously avoided her gaze. McKay continued to watch Sheppard with what appeared to be a mixture of disbelief and fear.

Elizabeth looked at the faces in the room, trying to get a reading from them. Before going to the infirmary for the mandatory check-up, Sheppard stopped just long enough to tell her that the mission had gone well enough. They were able to get almost all of the kidnapped people safely away from the Wraith and there were no casualties among their own people. He was able to give no further information, though. Two scientists visiting from Earth arriving for a meeting interrupted him. He escaped, grateful to be able to delay the details.

She grew concerned when she took in the mood around the table. "Okay, let's get started. Col. Sheppard already told me that you were able to get most of the captives safely away and back to their planets."

Teyla spoke first. "Yes, we believe only two were actually taken by the Wraith. It appears that they were…samples of the wares for the Wraith. We could not get close enough to save them."

Elizabeth looked around the table again. "What happened?"

Before anyone could stop him, McKay pointed at the Colonel. "He shot them!"

"What?" Elizabeth looked from McKay to Sheppard. "Shot who?"

"He killed them. I saw him. So did they." McKay now pointed at Teyla and Ronon. He saw her confusion. "He shot the boy and girl. The humans."

They all turned to Sheppard, who was watching McKay with a blank face. He nodded. "Yes, I shot them."

"Rodney, it was…" Teyla began.

"That's what you did to Col. Sumner, wasn't it?" McKay interrupted. He was pale and beginning to hyperventilate. "It was just so easy, wasn't it? Aim and pull the trigger. Just target practice. How can you be so cold about it?"

Elizabeth realized this has to stop. She would never get the truth if he continued to rant. "Rodney! Enough!"

"It's true, Elizabeth. I killed them." Sheppard spoke almost too quietly to hear. She studied his normally expressive face but it remained blank.

Even Lorne stared at his commanding officer. He'd heard about Sumner, but thought the story was just that, a story. He never quite believed Sheppard capable of such an act. The man was a pilot, for God's sake. They did everything from a bird's point of view. This was going to take some time to digest.

Teyla began. "Dr. Weir, there was no other way. The Wraith was feeding on the boy…"

"They were about five hundred yards away and I had the M40." Sheppard continued. "I couldn't get a shot on the Wraith. So, I killed the boy. Then, the Wraith grabbed the woman. He held her like a shield in front of his body and started to feed."

"It was the right thing to do." Ronon interjected. "It was either that or sit and watch them die an agonizing death."

Sheppard did not avert his gaze, and Elizabeth held it. There was almost no emotion in his eyes, and she couldn't identify what was there. She wanted to look away, to run out of the room, but remained steady.

"Rodney, you remember what the Wraith did to Dr. Abrams and Dr. Gaul, don't you? That is what was happening to those two young people. Would you wish that death on them?" Teyla reasoned, trying to make him understand.

"No." McKay almost whimpered. He sat back in his chair, but still stared at the Colonel.

Teyla looked around the table as she continued. "It was the most merciful thing anyone could have done in that situation."

Elizabeth finally broke the connection with Sheppard to look around the table again. The emotion here was too raw for everyone in the room. She knew there needed to be further discussion, but not now. "It's late. If you can think of anything else, please come and talk to me. Major, please let me have your written report as soon as possible. Thank you."

"Yes, Ma'am." Lorne nodded and headed for the door, which opened as he approached. He quickly left the room.

Teyla and Ronon took one long, last look at Sheppard then walked toward the door. Teyla stopped next to McKay, who exhaled heavily and followed her out. The doors closed behind them. Sheppard was staring at McKay's now empty chair and made no move to leave.

Elizabeth walked around the table to sit next to him. She knew killing Sumner had affected him deeply, as much as he made it a point not to show it. This was not going to be so easy to hide. Rodney's hysterics didn't help. She fervently hoped it would not cause an irreparable rift between them. Their relationship was too important to the success of their team, as well as the entire expedition.

"John…?"

"I'm fairly certain they were Wraith worshippers. The way they…" He tried to divert her.

"We can talk about that later." Her frown was one of concern, not anger. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"Sorry." Sheppard's eyes closed and shook his head before looking at her. "Elizabeth, you've seen what happens when the Wraith feed."

She swallowed hard at the memory of the Queen feeding on the Wraith who had undergone treatment with the retrovirus. "Yes, I remember."

"I couldn't walk away leave them." He looked away, but she saw the distress in his eyes.

"I want you to talk to Kate Heightmeyer."

He opened his mouth to protest then closed it again and nodded. It was the path of least resistance and he was too weary to argue.

"I'll stop by tomorrow."

"I'll be checking up on that." She raised an eyebrow at him. "And, you won't be going on any missions until she clears you."

He nodded. The quick submission worried her. She knew he wasn't afraid of talking to Kate, but she'd expected at least token resistance.

----------

"Colonel Sheppard." Kate Heightmeyer moved around her desk with a warm, welcoming smile to greet him. She waved at two comfortable chairs well away from the desk. A small side table nearby held a carafe and two mugs. "Please, come in and sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

Sheppard took a deep breath as the door closed behind him. He shook his head and smiled back as he crossed to the chairs, but she could see the expression did not quite reach his eyes like it normally did.

----------

"I am more concerned about Rodney than John." Kate watched Elizabeth's reaction to the statement as she sipped her tea.

Elizabeth sat on the same chair in Kate's office that John Sheppard had occupied. She thought for a moment before responding.

"It doesn't really surprise me. Rodney was extremely agitated when they returned from the mission and he really hasn't settled down yet. He seems to be almost obsessed by what happened."

"Yes, that is what concerns me. It is understandable that Rodney would have difficulty absorbing what he witnessed. But, as you are aware, he does tend to nurture his fears and phobias. It could get out of hand." Kate turned to set her cup on the low table.

"But he's seen a lot of things on missions." Elizabeth offered. "And, he even caused the destruction of an entire planetary system. You'd think by now, he wouldn't stay so worked up about anything."

"I know." Kate gave a wry grin. "I think the difference here is that he watched John kill two humans that were not a direct threat and could not defend themselves. It doesn't seem to matter that the Wraith was killing them at the time. He said that it was done, and I quote, with unbelievable ease and coldness. It truly alarmed him. He is afraid of this aspect of John. To be honest, he has harbored some small fear of John since the first day here."

"Because of Col. Sumner?"

Kate nodded. "Yes."

Elizabeth used the distraction of picking up her tea and sipping it to think. "What about John? He can be so damned…inscrutable when it comes to his own emotions."

The ghost of a smile appeared on Kate's face. "He's actually doing pretty well, all things considered."

"Pretty well?" Little of Elizabeth's concern was allayed.

"You read his psych report, didn't you?" Kate referred to the psychological work-up all of the expedition members had to complete before they could be assigned to the Atlantis expedition.

Elizabeth nodded. The report confirmed the judgment of his Air Force superiors. John Sheppard was more than a little too independent for the military. He had problems with authority and tended to jump in with both feet where angels dare not tread, even against orders. But, the evaluation went on to say that he was stable, both emotionally and mentally. And more. She came back to the present when Kate spoke her name.

"Elizabeth?"

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"John is very honest with himself. He has few, if any, delusions about who he is, what he has done and what he is capable of doing." Kate spoke confidently. "I know he shot Col. Sumner the first day we were here to prevent the Wraith from killing him like that. John did the same for these two young people. He had a decision to make in a split second, a very difficult decision. He made it and knows he will have to live with it."

"That's just what he said about Col. Sumner that first night." Elizabeth remembered the discussion on the terrace. "He will be alright, won't he?"

Kate nodded. "I believe so. He just needs a little time to process it. We have another session tomorrow, and then we'll go from there. Rodney is another matter. I'm seeing him again later this afternoon."

Elizabeth nodded. "What about Teyla and Ronon?"

"They are pragmatic. Having lived in the shadow of the Wraith their entire lives, and their people for so many generations, they have a very different perspective than we do. I believe they are honestly grateful for John's actions." Kate paused. "Still, I don't think any of them should go on any missions for at least a few days."

"They were due some down time anyway. I've already told John they won't be going off-world until you've cleared them." Elizabeth sipped her tea. "I am concerned about Rodney's relationship with John. He won't go into a room if John is there. If he is afraid of John or no longer trusts him, the integrity of the team is at risk."

"I think, with a little effort, and some intervention from John, Rodney will come around. John and I have discussed it. He's been worried about Rodney, as well."

"Really? What can we do?"

"This has been traumatic for both of them. We have to give John the space he needs, and then let him approach Rodney when he feels time is right. Rodney will recover. He's stronger than he thinks. So is their friendship."

"What about the long term for John?" Elizabeth's concerns were not dispelled completely.

Kate smiled. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him. And, John has too many people around him that care."

---------

Sheppard stood quietly in the doorway to McKay's lab. The astrophysicist was across the room, hunched over a laptop and unaware of the visitor. Two technicians close to the door looked up. Sheppard jerked his thumb towards the door and they silently nodded and scurried out.

"Franklin, bring me that…artifact from M2R-376." McKay snapped his fingers several times and pointed to the end of the counter without looking around.

Sheppard walked over and picked up an instrument that he thought might be the desired object. He handed it to McKay who promptly handed it back with an exaggerated sigh.

"Not that!" He glanced up and saw Sheppard. His eyes darted around the room. "Where's Franklin and…what are you doing here?"

McKay slid off his stool and began to inch away from the Colonel. He fidgeted nervously, trying to act normal without success.

"Rodney." Sheppard's voice was calm and he didn't move.

McKay backed further away and around the edge of the counter, heading for the door. Sheppard exhaled heavily. He'd hoped this wouldn't happen even though he wasn't surprised by his friend's reaction. The door closed. McKay looked at it then back at Sheppard with something akin to horror. He passed his hand over the door control then pounded on it, but nothing happened.

"Rodney, it's been four days. You have to talk to me sometime." Sheppard leaned against the counter. His whole demeanor was as unthreatening as he could make it. He knew confrontation would not work. McKay might become even more alarmed and defensive.

"No, I don't. I'm busy right now. You have to leave." McKay decided bluster might work. He stayed on the door side of the counter and turned to a laptop connected to an ancient console and screen. He threw nervous looks over his shoulder at the Colonel.

Sheppard folded his arms over his chest. Well, some confrontation was apparently needed, after all. The lights dimmed and all of the Ancient technology shut down. McKay spun around, angry and apprehensive at once.

"What are doing? I'm in the middle of vital projects." McKay gesticulated at the equipment around the lab. "You've set my work back…days, weeks!"

"Relax, Rodney. Nothing's been lost." Sheppard's voice was as calm and quiet as McKay's was frantic and loud. He knew he had to be patient. "We need to talk."

McKay looked around the lab then back at the Colonel. All of his bravado suddenly melted away. He looked directly at Sheppard for the first time in four days.

"I hate it when you do that. You do it just to annoy me, don't you, Colonel?" He walked back to Sheppard's side of the counter and perched on one of the stools.

"Sometimes. You know, after all this time, you really should call me John." Sheppard felt more than a little of the weight lift from his shoulders. He swallowed hard before speaking again. "Are you going to be okay with…with what happened?"

The astrophysicist thought for several seconds, frowning at a data pad next to him without actually seeing it. He finally looked up. "I don't know. I just can't understand how you could do that. You were so…so…"

"Cold?" Sheppard offered.

McKay winced at the reminder of his words. "Well, yes. It really did seem like you were just shooting clay pigeons. How can you do that?"

It was Sheppard's turn to think, but he didn't look away. After a few moments, he sighed. "Rodney, it had to be done. That's all there was to it."

McKay couldn't bring himself to verbalize the act. "How do you live with it?"

"I have to. How do you live with Collins' death?" The gentle reminder prompted another wince.

McKay opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the right words, or any words. For the first time, he was speechless. He just shrugged and looked slightly ill.

"You just live with it, don't you?" At that moment, Sheppard felt more for his friend than he did for himself. "Rodney, you've seen what happens when the Wraith feed. You saw what was happening to those two kids. I would find it harder to live with doing nothing than shooting them."

McKay thought for a long time before giving in. He fidgeted with the data pad. "It's just so…so…"

Sheppard took a risk. "You do realize, don't you, that every time we destroy a Wraith ship we are killing human as well?"

"Yes. And, thank you very much for reminding me of that fact." McKay sighed. "This was just so much more personal. We could see them."

"I know." Sheppard paused for a moment, preparing to take a bigger risk. "Would you prefer to be assigned to another team, or not go on missions at all?"

"No! Heavens, no!" McKay was startled by the suggestion. He waved his hands about. "I just needed some time to…to…think about it. You're too matter-of-fact, that's all. How do you do that?"

The Colonel expression darkened slightly. "It's part of job, Rodney. I have to decide who goes through the Gate with the possibility that they may not come back. And, sometimes they don't. You have to deal with the emotion, put it in perspective and keep it there. Otherwise, it will make you crazy. I did what I thought I had to do for those kids, and I won't change my mind about it. Ever."

McKay listened in silence then rocked his head from side to side in acceptance. "Well, Teyla did say it was a mercy for them."

"Yeah, a very small one." Sheppard said softly as the lights and the instruments came up and the door opened. He pushed away from the counter and walked around it.

"Show off." McKay said with mock sarcasm as he glanced around at the fully operational lab.

The Colonel stopped at the door and turned around. He raised an eyebrow. "Are we good?"

"Yes, we're good." McKay said with honesty. The expression on his face as he watched his friend leave was a mix of understanding and relief.


	4. Chapter 4

"You should have refused." Teyla's tone was much less critical than her words. She understood what she had seen. "John rarely works out with you, and even then, it is only to practice technique. This was just an effort to…"

"Punish himself? I know." Ronon looked down at her as they walked along the corridor.

"Yes." She inclined her head a fraction. "John feels guilt over what he did. It is only natural."

"That's why I agreed to spar with him. He wanted a…more strenuous workout and I could control just how strenuous it was." He shrugged matter-of-factly. "Look, Sheppard needed to get it out of his system, so I said yes."

She accepted his reasoning. "It is an indication of his trust in you that he participated with such abandon."

Teyla witnessed much of the session before she went to the mainland with Elizabeth early that morning. Sheppard had been so focused in his determination to do himself damage that he did not notice her arrival. To the untrained eye, it would have appeared brutal, but Ronon controlled the action with skill. Well, at least most of the time.

The worst injury of the workout was a nasty bruise on the Colonel's hip. He'd taken Ronon by surprise with an attack that the latter fought off with a little more zeal than intended. That throw ended the session. All of them had been alarmed by the thud. Sheppard hit the wall and mat at the same time. He remained motionless for several seconds then relieved their fear of serious injury when he allowed Ronon to haul him upright. With a silent 'Ow', he grinned and clapped Ronon on the shoulder as he limped out of the training room.

"Sheppard's much better when he doesn't think about what he's doing. He's too much in his head when he fights." Ronon chuckled as he carefully rubbed his left shoulder. The Colonel caught him with an odd move that toppled him off the edge of the mat. He'd said it was a football tackle, whatever that was.

She glanced up at him with a smile. "Yes, I know. John is not overly fond of hand to hand combat because he tries to think it through. Perhaps we can work on that."

----------

It had been five days since they went to M4R-592 and Sheppard was tired. He was tired of reading reports, of meetings, of civilians watching him suspiciously out of the corners of their eyes, of sitting around and doing nothing, and of trying to say as little as possible to Kate Heightmeyer while telling her everything she needed to know. Even some of the Marines watched him, but their attitude was more one of protective concern than fear.

Well, he thought, at least they accepted him as CO. That had been a struggle since day one. Marines didn't seem to trust anyone except other Marines. The rest of the military was merely tolerated. Being an Air Force pilot was not the best place to start with them. And, being the Air Force pilot who had killed the Marine CO of Atlantis on the first day in the Pegasus Galaxy put him in a hole, a deep one.

He'd worked out with Ronon this afternoon, something he almost never did. For good reason. Teyla regularly left him bruised in body and ego. Ronon left him wondering if he was insane and whether he wanted to live or die. And, the big Setedan pulled his punches with him. Thank God. But, he still felt like he had when his Black Hawk was shot down in Afghanistan.

It was now quite late. Most of the personnel were in their quarters, sleeping or doing whatever it was they did at this hour. Only the night watch and a few insomniacs were up.

The Colonel left his quarters, intent on a long walk around the inhabited parts of the City. He did this frequently. There was a running joke amongst more than a few people that it was almost like a father checking to make sure the kids were tucked safely in bed, and the doors and windows were closed and locked against trespassers.

An hour later, Sheppard was beginning to ask himself if the late night exercise was a good idea. He hoped it would clear his head and work some of the aching from his bruised muscles. Even though his body felt better, his mind was still churning through the things he didn't want to dwell on. He was second guessing the decision not to take the sleeping pills offered by both Kate and Beckett. Sleep had been difficult the last couple of nights, something no unexpected. Another reason for the midnight stroll. He hoped it would tire him sufficiently to help him get through the night without seeing their faces as they died. He didn't care for drug-induced sleep, though. It left him feeling, well, drugged.

Was the momentary loss of good judgment when he asked Ronon to spar with him a need to dispel the vague numbness that still held him, a touch of masochism, or perhaps an attempt at penance? He decided it was probably all three. Even though he knew these feelings would fade soon enough, they were very…uncomfortable right now. He just had to give it time.

Still deep inside his thoughts, he turned a corner near the Gate Room and literally walked into Elizabeth. He barely caught her before she fell.

"Hey! Sorry. Are you alright?" He backed away after steadying her.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." She glanced at her watch then half smiled, half frowned at him. "What are you doing wandering the corridors at this time of night?"

"Just thought I'd stretch my legs before hitting the sack." He raised an eyebrow at her. "What's your excuse?"

Elizabeth, who hadn't seen him since yesterday afternoon, could tell he was tired. She thought it was better to approach the subject carefully. "Reports. I was going through the feed we're sending to the SGC tomorrow and lost track of time. Feel like a cup of tea, coffee?"

He nodded and they turned to head for the mess. "Maybe not coffee, but I am hungry."

"Are you limping?" Elizabeth watched him as they walked.

"It's nothing, really. Just bruised my hip." He flashed a quick grin when she raised her eyebrows in silent query. "I foolishly thought it would be a good thing to spar with Ronon this morning."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I thought you decided you would never do that again after the last time."

"I plead temporary insanity." He grinned again, but saw the glibness wasn't going to fly with her. "Okay, okay. I was bored. Teyla was going with you to the mainland, and Ronon wanted to work out, too. He was just showing me some moves."

"Why not one of the Marines? They all know hand to hand combat, don't they?" She asked.

"Yes, but they're mostly not willing to risk damaging their CO." He was a little defensive. "Look, Ronon did take it easy on me. I was distracted and fell. It's just a bruise, that's all."

They arrived at the mess. Elizabeth went to pick out a teabag and mug for herself, but Sheppard stopped her.

"What would you like?"

She looked around at the selection and sighed. "Just tea and one of those Athosian fruit bar things, but I don't see any."

"Go sit down. I'll be right back." His expression was conspiratorial as he limped around the serving counter towards the kitchen.

She watched him disappear then headed for a small table in the far corner of the nearly deserted room. A few minutes later, he reappeared with a tray. He set a cup, a small steaming teapot, a jar of honey and a plate with something that looked like an odd granola bar in front of her. At the place opposite her, Sheppard set down a tall glass of milk and two sandwiches. Elizabeth peered closely at the sandwiches.

"Peanut butter and jelly? And milk?" She blinked skeptically.

Feigning offense as he sat down, he frowned at her. "And, what is wrong with peanut butter and grape jelly? We don't get milk very often, even this long life stuff. I happen to like a nice cold glass with my PBJ."

Elizabeth chuckled as she dropped a small amount of the honey on her fingertip and tasted it. She then carefully peeked inside the tea pot, happy to see real tea leaves instead of the generic bags normally served. The scent was deliciously inviting. After a moment, she looked up and smiled at Sheppard.

"How did you manage this?"

He shook his head twice with a look of mild reproof. "Can't reveal my sources."

"Not fair." She tried to look like she was trying to discipline an errant child.

He grinned then watched as she began to turn the teapot this way and that, waiting for the tea to fully steep. While he was distracted, she took the opportunity to study his face. When he picked up one sandwich, she poured a cup of tea and drizzled a little honey into it. "John, how are you doing?"

He paused with the sandwich halfway to his mouth as she spoke. Instead of answering, he offered it to her first. "Want a bite? I have two here. It's crunchy."

"No, thank you. And, you haven't answered my question. Are you alright?" She persisted.

"I'm getting there." He took a bite of the PBJ and looked at her while he chewed, challenging her to persevere.

She nodded after a moment's consideration. He'd actually said more than she expected. She picked up the cup and breathed in the aroma of a rare Earl Grey blend she loved. It was more than a little disconcerting that he found out and procured one of her favorite, and hard to find, teas without her knowledge. One day she would discover how he was getting these details about her.

"So, how was the mainland today?" Sheppard asked.

"Fine. It was long overdue." She carefully sipped the hot tea. "It it's amazing how far along the settlement has come in such a short time. They have cleared more land and have planted enough grain to easily see them through the winter and give them a surplus for trade. They've found more fruit trees and some kind of nut tree, but it will be a couple of months before they're ready to pick."

"Are they still talking about going back to Athos?"

"Some still want to, but most seem content to stay here. For the foreseeable future, anyway." She paused, thoughtful. "I think they understand that it is safer here and that they will be able to Athos return later."

"There isn't anything to go back to." He shook his head. "The Wraith practiced a scorched earth policy for miles around the Gate. It's going to take years for it to be habitable again, if ever."

Elizabeth nibbled at the fruit bar while he ate, happy to see his appetite was returning. She was grateful that the two or three people who wandered in for food left them well alone. She poured a second cup of tea and stirred honey into it before talking again.

"Rodney seems to have settled down. Were able to talk to him?"

"Yeah." He swallowed the last of the milk. "I cornered him last night in his lab."

She nodded, remembering the astrophysicist's distress on their return to Atlantis. Elizabeth had witnessed McKay's panic, fear and various neuroses before, but this had been something different. She was very serious when she mentioned her concern to Kate about the friendship between him and Sheppard. It took a lot of effort on her part to follow Kate's advice and not try to intervene.

"That must have been interesting." She prompted.

He half shrugged. "It was actually pretty easy. All I had to do was lock the door and turn everything off to get him to stand still."

"I bet he loved that." She smiled at his nod. Then she became serious again. "So, will everything be okay between the two of you?"

He considered for a moment. "I think so. Rodney just needed a little time to get over the initial shock. He wasn't prepared to see what he did. I don't think even Teyla or Ronon quite expected it. I tried to tell him to leave, but you know him."

"Yes, he is obstinate…not unlike some other people I know." She looked all innocent as she raised her cup to her lips. After taking a sip, she continued. "Has Kate indicated when she's going to clear you for a mission?"

He shook his head. "She wants to see Rodney and me together first."

Elizabeth couldn't suppress a snicker. "Couples counseling?"

Sheppard rolled his eyes upwards and groaned. "Thank you for that image. Now I am scarred for life."

"Well you two do act like an old married couple sometimes." She said, still trying to control her mirth.

"Oh, please! Just don't let Rodney, or anyone else hear you say that." He chuckled then became a little more serious. "Maybe next time I tell him to do something, he'll listen."

"You think?"

"Nah, but one can only hope."

----------

"You know, John did a lot of the work with Rodney the last couple of days." Kate Heightmeyer sat back in her chair, data pad on her lap. "I admire his patience. He's handled the situation very well."

"Yes. I've seen them talking." Elizabeth nodded. She thought for a moment. "Did you know that John is the only one who will take Rodney on missions? Oh, the good Dr. McKay has gone with other teams once or twice, but the missions didn't go well."

"I've heard that." Kate smiled. "I believe that helping Rodney was therapeutic for John as well. As you know, Rodney is more than candid. During the sessions I had with them together, it drew John out a little more than he would go on his own. He made himself more vulnerable to help his friend."

"It doesn't surprise me. John is quite protective of his team. Actually, he's protective of everyone here." Elizabeth mused.

"Yes, I have noticed that." Kate turned off the data pad and set it on the table next to her. "To Rodney's credit, he responded with greater empathy than I thought possible for him. I believe the death of Dr. Collins has helped him to have some understanding of what this cost John."

"Thank you, Kate. I appreciate your help." Elizabeth was relieved.

"They can resume full duties, including going on off-world missions." Kate smiled. "That is what you wanted to hear, isn't it?"

"Yes. Thank you." Elizabeth exhaled. She still had the odd reservation, but those were always there when it came to Rodney going on missions. "Anything I should know?"

"Other than Rodney still having all of his neuroses and phobias?" Kate raised her eyebrows. "No, not really. Like I said, I will keep an eye on them. I've scheduled a couple of sessions with each of them over the next few weeks."

"I'm happy to hear that." Elizabeth smiled and stood up. "Okay. I'll give them a green light. Thank you, Kate."

Kate smiled back. "You are very welcome."

----------

Two days later, Elizabeth watched from the walkway outside of her office as Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon stood below her. They were waiting on the edge of the Gate Room floor, geared up and ready to go. The Colonel glanced at his watch just as McKay hurried down the stairs.

"Rodney, so glad you could join us." He raised an eyebrow at the astrophysicist. "Are you quite ready? Or, do you need another day off?"

"I was just…" McKay pointed up the stairs then saw expression on the Colonel's face. "Oh, ha-ha-ha. Let's go."

Sheppard looked up to the technician and signaled to dial the Gate. The wormhole opened and his team started forward. As he turned to follow, he looked up at Elizabeth, grinned and waved. Then he disappeared through the event horizon.

Elizabeth folded her arms. She whispered so that no-one else could hear. "Be safe."

The End


End file.
